diff --git a/docs/manual/developer/06_contributing_with_content.md b/docs/manual/developer/06_contributing_with_content.md
index e1f5e4f906e..ab5c430c7e9 100644
--- a/docs/manual/developer/06_contributing_with_content.md
+++ b/docs/manual/developer/06_contributing_with_content.md
@@ -825,6 +825,13 @@ are unique to SCE:
    it is not necessary. Additionally, OCIL checks, if any is present in the
    `rule.yml`, are added as a top-level OR-operator `<complex-check />` with
    the results of this `<complex-check />`.
+ - `environment`: can be `normal`, `bootc`, `any`.
+   The default value that is used when this key is not set is `any`.
+   This key specifies the environment in which the SCE check can run in.
+   This way you can restrict some SCE checks to run or not run in Image mode.
+   If set to `bootc`, the SCE check code will be modified to not run outside of the bootable image build process.
+   If set to `normal`, the SCE check code will be modified to not run during the bootable image build process.
+   If set to `any`, the SCE check code will not be modified and therefore will run in any environment.
 
 For an example of SCE content, consider the check:
 
diff --git a/shared/templates/sebool/sce-bash.template b/shared/templates/sebool/sce-bash.template
index 143aedfe1d8..87a442ecbcc 100644
--- a/shared/templates/sebool/sce-bash.template
+++ b/shared/templates/sebool/sce-bash.template
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+# environment = bootc
 # check-import = stdout
 {{% if not SEBOOL_BOOL %}}
 # check-export = var_{{{ SEBOOLID }}}=var_{{{ SEBOOLID }}}
diff --git a/shared/templates/service_disabled/sce-bash.template b/shared/templates/service_disabled/sce-bash.template
index 84addf8e8cc..4d86b9fdc99 100644
--- a/shared/templates/service_disabled/sce-bash.template
+++ b/shared/templates/service_disabled/sce-bash.template
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # check-import = stdout
+# environment = bootc
 if [[ $(systemctl is-enabled {{{ DAEMONNAME }}}.service) == "masked" ]] ; then
     exit "$XCCDF_RESULT_PASS"
 fi
diff --git a/shared/templates/service_enabled/sce-bash.template b/shared/templates/service_enabled/sce-bash.template
index 5d33a00d3a6..03254c17170 100644
--- a/shared/templates/service_enabled/sce-bash.template
+++ b/shared/templates/service_enabled/sce-bash.template
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+# environment = bootc
 # check-import = stdout
 if [[ $(systemctl is-enabled {{{ DAEMONNAME }}}.service) == "enabled" ]] ; then
     exit "$XCCDF_RESULT_PASS"
diff --git a/shared/templates/socket_disabled/sce-bash.template b/shared/templates/socket_disabled/sce-bash.template
index 2b27cd73ba6..3b0cca18f0c 100644
--- a/shared/templates/socket_disabled/sce-bash.template
+++ b/shared/templates/socket_disabled/sce-bash.template
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+# environment = bootc
 # check-import = stdout
 if [[ $(systemctl is-enabled {{{ SOCKETNAME }}}.socket) == "masked" ]] ; then
     exit "$XCCDF_RESULT_PASS"
diff --git a/shared/templates/sysctl/sce-bash.template b/shared/templates/sysctl/sce-bash.template
index 54a120e983e..352b701f9b0 100644
--- a/shared/templates/sysctl/sce-bash.template
+++ b/shared/templates/sysctl/sce-bash.template
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+# environment = bootc
 # check-import = stdout
 {{% if SYSCTLVAL == "" %}}
 # check-export = sysctl_{{{ SYSCTLID }}}_value=sysctl_{{{ SYSCTLID }}}_value
diff --git a/shared/templates/timer_enabled/sce-bash.template b/shared/templates/timer_enabled/sce-bash.template
index 53101b496dd..a09354aa387 100644
--- a/shared/templates/timer_enabled/sce-bash.template
+++ b/shared/templates/timer_enabled/sce-bash.template
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+# environment = bootc
 # check-import = stdout
 if [[ $(systemctl is-enabled {{{ TIMERNAME }}}.timer) == "enabled" ]] ; then
     exit "$XCCDF_RESULT_PASS"
diff --git a/ssg/build_sce.py b/ssg/build_sce.py
index 110a73f7617..17906a0f560 100644
--- a/ssg/build_sce.py
+++ b/ssg/build_sce.py
@@ -34,26 +34,34 @@ def load_sce_and_metadata(file_path, local_env_yaml):
     return load_sce_and_metadata_parsed(raw_content)
 
 
-def load_sce_and_metadata_parsed(raw_content):
+def _process_raw_content_line(line, sce_content, metadata):
+    found_metadata = False
+    keywords = ['platform', 'check-import', 'check-export', 'complex-check', 'environment']
+    for keyword in keywords:
+        if not line.startswith('# ' + keyword + ' = '):
+            continue
+        found_metadata = True
+        # Strip off the initial comment marker
+        _, value = line[2:].split('=', maxsplit=1)
+        metadata[keyword] = value.strip()
+
+    if not found_metadata:
+        sce_content.append(line)
+
+
+def _parse_metadata(raw_content):
     metadata = dict()
     sce_content = []
-
-    keywords = ['platform', 'check-import', 'check-export', 'complex-check']
+    shebang = "#!/usr/bin/bash"
     for line in raw_content.split("\n"):
-        found_metadata = False
-        for keyword in keywords:
-            if not line.startswith('# ' + keyword + ' = '):
-                continue
-
-            found_metadata = True
+        if line.startswith("#!"):
+            shebang = line
+            continue
+        _process_raw_content_line(line, sce_content, metadata)
+    return shebang, "\n".join(sce_content), metadata
 
-            # Strip off the initial comment marker
-            _, value = line[2:].split('=', maxsplit=1)
-            metadata[keyword] = value.strip()
-
-        if not found_metadata:
-            sce_content.append(line)
 
+def _set_metadata_default_values(metadata):
     if 'check-export' in metadata:
         # Special case for the variables exposed to the SCE script: prepend
         # the OSCAP_VALUE prefix to reference the variable
@@ -66,7 +74,42 @@ def load_sce_and_metadata_parsed(raw_content):
     if 'platform' in metadata:
         metadata['platform'] = metadata['platform'].split(',')
 
-    return "\n".join(sce_content), metadata
+    if "environment" not in metadata:
+        metadata["environment"] = "any"
+    environment_options = ["normal", "bootc", "any"]
+    if metadata["environment"] not in environment_options:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "Wrong value of the 'environment' headers: '%s'. It needs to be "
+            "one of %s" % (
+                metadata["environment"], ", ".join(environment_options))
+        )
+
+
+def _modify_sce_with_environment(sce_content, environment):
+    if environment == "any":
+        return sce_content
+    if environment == "bootc":
+        condition = "(rpm -q --quiet bootc && [ -e /run/.containerenv ])"
+    if environment == "normal":
+        condition = "! (rpm -q --quiet bootc && [ -e /run/.containerenv ])"
+    lines = list(sce_content.split("\n"))
+    for i in range(len(lines)):
+        if len(lines[i]) > 0:
+            lines[i] = (4 * " ") + lines[i]
+    lines.insert(0, "if " + condition + " ; then")
+    lines.append("else")
+    lines.append("    echo \"The SCE check can't run in this environment.\"")
+    lines.append("    exit \"$XCCDF_RESULT_ERROR\"")
+    lines.append("fi")
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def load_sce_and_metadata_parsed(raw_content):
+    shebang, sce_content, metadata = _parse_metadata(raw_content)
+    _set_metadata_default_values(metadata)
+    sce_content = _modify_sce_with_environment(sce_content, metadata["environment"])
+    sce_content = shebang + "\n" + sce_content
+    return sce_content, metadata
 
 
 def _check_is_applicable_for_product(metadata, product):